Well ---- the Applicant has applied to import and tip 18000 tonnes of waste into this natural landscape. By the way—the Plans infer that there will be over 8000 Lorry movements and the tipping will continue for over 5 years.

--- Our friends who follow these schemes say that the going rate for this kind of waste disposal is around £3.50/Tonne

--- Our banker friends work that out as “well over half a million”!!!!!!! for the Tenant farmer and his landlord. That would be another moneymaker for the “Estate”, at the expense of the environment; on top of the rumoured royalties deal over Chelker.

Local farmers, who choose not to go into the waste disposal business, tell us that the “Gorse problem” can be solved with a box of matches!.

Surveyors, with an eye for quantities, say that the real quantities required to “effect an agricultural improvement” are a fraction of those proposed in the Plans. Walkers, Golfers, residents, locals and visitors who cherish the landscape and countryside are completely puzzled how anyone would propose such an inappropriate scheme. The feature is a natural/ occasional watercourse and a typical Dales, sheep country, landscape feature.

Farfield Farm – Comments

The basic proposal is to infill a typical attractive sharply incised Dales valley with inert fill to create a very nondescript gentle valley. The justification put forward is agricultural improvement. If planned this exercise would permanently adversely change this attractive landscape and would cause unacceptable environmental effects and health and safety issues during its implementation.

The site is clearly visible from a number of local public footpaths and Bracken Ghyll Golf Club which is adjacent to the site. The proposal is for a 5 year tipping operation, with the main tipping area remaining uncovered over most of this period. Therefore dust and noise will be a major nuisance for the golf course in adverse weather conditions throughout this period.

The general public will be affected because there are views into the site from the Yorkshire Dales National Park and from Rombalds / Ilkley Moors. The main access to the site is from the B6160 and has inadequate site lines (approximately 50 metres) to the south. Traffic travelling northwards along the B6160 will exit a left hand bend and be confronted with tipper lorries attempting to enter and exit the site, a mere 50 meters ahead. This is a relatively fast stretch of road and this could constitute a dangerous situation, particularly in adverse weather conditions. The internal access road is a public right of way for 300 metres and there are no measures proposed in the application to protect members of the public from the lorry traffic.

The details submitted by the applicant reveal that he is intending to fill much more of the field than necessary to effect the agricultural improvement. 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes would in the Society’s view be sufficient rather than the 160,000 tonnes applied for.